Bowl for table type game

ABSTRACT

A manually manipulable curling bowl adapted to be slid, spun and delivered into the scoring field of a table-type game in a manner that it will come to a stop in a position as close as possible to the target ball. A predetermined peripheral surface of the bowl is provided with a concaved depression forming a seat for one of a user&#39;&#39;s thumb and tip of the index finger for curling the bowl toward the target ball, and a flattened surface arranged diametrically opposite the depression for cooperating with the depression and providing a rest for the other of the thumb and fingertip in delivering the bowl.

United States Patent McPhail et al.

BOWL FOR TABLE TYPE GAME Inventors: William B. McPhail; Hazel M.

McPhail, both of 301 Sea Breeze Dr., Port Richey, Fla. 33568 Filed: Mar.30, 1973 App]. No.: 347,321

Related U.S. Application Data Division of Ser. No. 75,831, Sept. 28,1970, Pat. No. 3,741,543.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3/1902 Hoyt 273/58 R 2/1960 Pratt273/58 A 11/1963 Morgan 273/58 B 1/1964 Billis 273/58 R Feb. 11, 19753,208,752 9/1965 Pritchard 273/128 R FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLlCATlONS67,929 1/1893 Germany 273/58 A 754,491 4/1933 France 273/58 A PrimaryExaminer-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Theatrice Brown Attorney,Agent, or FirmClarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson [57] ABSTRACT Amanually manipulable curling bowl adapted to be slid, spun and deliveredinto the scoring field of a table-type game in a manner that it willcome to a stop in a position as close as possible to the target ball. Apredetermined peripheral surface of the bowl is provided with a concaveddepression forming a seat for one of a users thumb and tip of the indexfinger for curling the bowl toward the target ball, and a flattenedsurface arranged diametrically opposite the depression for cooperatingwith the depression and providing a rest for the other of the thumb andfingertip in delivering the bowl.

1 Claim, 4 Drawing Figures BOWL FOR TABLE TYPE GAME This is a division,of application Ser. No. 75,831, filed Sept. 28, 1970, now US Pat. No.3,741,543.-

This invention relates to a bowl for use with surface projectile-typegames such as are customarily and suitably designed and adapted forindoor and outdoor use and have a leg supported appropriately carpetedtable, the playing surface of which is utilized in a predeterminedmanner to enable rival contestants to score points by manually shoving,curling and delivering bowls from a starting field to a scoring field ina manner hereinafter more fully described.

These together with other objects and advantages which will becomesubsequently apparent reside in the details of construction andoperation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, referencebeing had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, whereinlike numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. I is a view in perspective showing a leg supported game table laidout to provide the starting and scoring fields or zones, the target ballbeing shown at the left and several of the delivered bowls of thecontestants shown to the right thereof in relative relationship andscoring positions.

FIG. 2 is a view in perspective on a small scale of one of the bowls ofthe two distinguishable sets of bowls.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged central sectional view taken approximately on theplane of the section line 33 of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of thearrows.

And FIG. 4 is a plan view showing one manner of gripping the bowlwherein the thumb is engaged in the concave seat and the fingers arediametrically opposite and are engaging the slightly flattenedcolor-coded sur face of the bowl.

The table as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 is denoted by the numeral 6. Thistable is elongated and as before mentioned it may be some 12 to 16 feetlong and approximately 4 feet in width. The supporting legs S aresuitably mounted and may be 30 inches more or less in height. The entireplanar playing surface of the table is covered with an appropriate gradeof firm finished carpet which is denoted generally at 10. The rim whichencompasses the entire margin of the table is denoted generally by thenumeral 12 and comprises suitable interconnected longitudinal andtransverse rails 14 whose interior surfaces are cushioned with carpet asat 16. The main carpet surface is provided centrally and transverselywith a dividing line 17 which defines a starting region or field 18 tothe right of the line and a scoring field 20 to the left of the line.One end of the table which is distinguished here as the head at theright in FIG. 1 is denoted at 22. The other end which is differentiatedas the foot is denoted at 24.

The aforementioned cue-like freely rollable target ball is denoted'bythe numeral 34. The bowls which are eight in number are individuallydenoted by the numeral 36 and each bowl is of identical construction.More specifically the bowl is substantially spherical but slightly ovoidin shape and accordingly is not a true sphere. One surface 38 isprovided with a concave depression 40 of requisite size and depth whichcan be used to accommodate the thumb A of the hand as shown in FIG. 4.Alternatively it can be used to accommodate the index finger B wheredesired. The concave depression is encircled by concentric lines 42which assist in enabling the user to position the thumb or fingers asthe case may be. These lines 42 are primarily decorative. Thediametrically opposite surface of each bowl is slightly flattened as at44 and a plastic or equivalent disk, designated as a marker disk 46, isprovided in the manner best shown for example in FIG. 3.

Thegame is played with two sets of four bowls 36'and one target or jack34. The bowls of the respective sets are usually 2% inches in diameterand each bowl'is provided with the aforementioned depression 40 for (I)the thumb or (2) the forefinger as the case may be. The flattenedsurface 44 opposite the depression 40 is provided with an inlaid diskwhich is color coded either red or white, that is, red for one playerand white for the other player or contestant. The target ball isapproximately 1 A inches in diameter and solid white. As pointed out thegame is played on a full carpeted table as shown advantageously in FIG.1.

As a general rule the player or team with the red marked bowl will tossthe jack to start the game. The jack obviously must be over thecenterline 17 of play so that it will come to rest somewhere within thelimits of the scoring field 20.

The player on the team throwing the jack out first plays first. Thecompetitive player will then alternate and this mode of play willcontinue until each player has played, that is curled or delivered hisfour bowls 36. The player with the bowl closest to the target ball 34will count one for each such bowled position. The closest bowl and allthose of like color are counted for each given end. In preferred mannerof play the game will consist of eight ends of play. Should each playerhave the bowl the same distance from the jack, that particular situationmeans cancelling the two correspondingly close bowls. The total scoreafter eight ends wins the game.

It may be pointed out that by placing the thumb in the depressed seat 40of the bowl and the index finger on the colored spot 46 and using apushing or shoving motion a bowl will curl from right to left.Alternately, by turning the bowl and placing the thumb on the coloredspot 46 and the index finger B in the depression or seat 40 and usingthe same delivery motion the bowl will curl left to right. If a bowl isbowled over and over, that is rolled but fails to curl, it can be takenout of play by the opponent for that particular period or end of play.

The views show the construction of the nearest spheroidal orsubstantially ovoid bowl or bowls. FIG. 4 shows how one can grasp thebowl with a view toward serving or sliding it over the surface from thehead end 22 to the foot end 24. FIG. 1 shows two red and two white bowlsup close to the target ball which represents a partial completion of anend. The other four bowls are shown at the right in FIG. 1 and are to beplayed by the participants. It is reiterated that the game can be playedby either two or four contestants.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles ofthe invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes willreadily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limitthe invention to the exact construction and operation shown anddescribed, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalentsmay be restored to, falling within the scope of the invention asclaimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use when playing bowls atop a carpet-covered table provided withtarget ball in resemblance of a cuethe user desires the delivered bowlto swerve and curl leftward or rightward, said flattened surfacecooperating with the depression to provide a rest for the thumb orfinger tip in delivering the bowl, said flattened surface being providedwith an identification marker disk of a predetermined color embeddedtherein.

1. For use when playing bowls atop a carpet-covered table provided withtarget ball in resemblance of a cue-ball, a bowl which is solid andprimarily spheroidal but slightly ovoid in shape and appearance andprovided on one peripheral surface with a finger seating depression, anda flattened surface arranged diamterically opposite the depression, saiddepression being concave, symmetrical about a center point, and of asize and shape to provide a bowl curling seat for the user''s thumb orthe tip of the index finger and depending on whether the user desiresthe delivered bowl to swerve and curl leftward or rightward, saidflattened surface cooperating with the depression to provide a rest forthe thumb or finger tip in delivering the bowl, said flattened surfacebeing provided with an identification marker disk of a predeterminedcolor embedded therein.